Bollywood Movies That Celebrate Same-Sex Love

Over the years several filmmakers have tried to explore same-sex stories in cinema. While initially, these films were met with strong opposition, things started changing over a period of time. This valentine’s day, we are all out to celebrate the kind of love that is just like everyone else. In fact, cinema too has changed its way of representing this community and has paid an ode to these same-sex love stories. Each story is a narrative of the society we dwell in and the way same-sex love has meandered its way through the differences of the generations and socio-cultural circumstances. These pathbreaking Bollywood movies are addressing homophobia and raising awareness about same-sex love and we are all for it!

Here Are Bollywood Movies Who Celebrated And Cherished The Beauty Of Same-Sex Love Stories:

Kapoor & Sons (2016)

We know Kapoor & Sons was all about a dysfunctional family and sibling rivalry, but what it highlighted was a sensible way of handling homosexuality within the family. Amidst the drama among the family, was Fawad Khan’s love story brewing with his partner which he hid from his family. The slice of life film had Fawad coming out to his mother at a very crucial point in the story after hiding it for years.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019)

Inspired by the novel, A Damsel In Distress, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga explored a lesbian relationship and the stigma around it. Sweety (Sonam Kapoor) and Kuhu love each other, but Sweety’s family are neither aware nor supportive of homosexual relationships. The way this movie handled the same-sex love story has left an everlasting impact on the audience. You will be left appalled seeing Sweety’s journey in the movie of her struggle to fight the taboo and break the shackles that society has enforced.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is a movie that has become a bridge between the society and LGBTQ community at large. While there were many movies that portrayed same-sex love stories, this movie came as a fresh breath of air. It strikes the right chord with reality where the protagonists normalise homosexuality for parents and relatives, who, in turn, dismiss same-sex love as a ‘disease’ until they finally accept it.

Steal oodles of photoshoot inspirations from these same-sex couples.

Badhaai Do (2022)

Another gem of a movie is Badhaai Do starring Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkumar Rao. This comedy film explores homosexual relationships and the concept of lavender marriage. (Lavender marriage is also known as mixed-orientation marriage where one or both partners are homosexual or bisexual.) Their marriage isn’t a regular one, it is a that of convenience, and post-wedding they continue to live as roommates. This movie beautifully handles the topic of how homosexual people in India get married under societal pressure and remain closeted due to the fear of ‘log kya kahenge’. This movie also showcases how ‘coming out’ can mean so many different things to different individuals. The movie was tense, at times devastating, but at the same time very heart-warming, light and congenial.

My Brother Nikhil (2005)

A movie way ahead of its time! My Brother Nikhil stirs the world with the way it deals with homosexuality and AIDS in a dignified way. On finding out that he is gay and HIV positive, Nikhil (Sanjay Suri) is left devastated and disowned by his family and friends. The only constants that remained in his life were his sister Anamika, his friend Nigel, and his boyfriend Sam. The movie narrates same-sex love stories in a candid way and normalizes gay relationships – with fights, tears, arguments, laughter and even jealousy. The story bagged appreciation worldwide for its groundbreaking portrayal of how the LGBTQIA+ community steers and arises through the social norms.

Bombay Talkies (2013)

After including glimpses of homosexuality in Dostana, Student of The Year and Kapoor and Sons, Karan Johar’s short-story in Bombay Talkies is a brilliant effort at mirroring the reality of our society. The movie portrays how innumerable people are trapped in loveless marriages, living in the closet, as homosexuality is considered a taboo in India.

Out of the four short stories, the story – Ajeeb Daastan Hai Yeh spoke about homosexual people who are stuck in loveless marriages featuring Randeep Huda and Rani Mukherjee. After knowing her husband’s sexual orientation in the film, Rani ends the marriage. While Randeep battles to save the marriage merely because he was afraid of the society or scared of being cornered because of the world’s inability to accept his homosexuality. The movie brings out the realities of our society and the fight that each person from the queer community have to put up with before they even accept themselves

Aligarh (2016)

Based on true events, Aligarh portrays Manoj Bajpai, who won the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award who plays the character of Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras. This movie revolves around the victimization of a gay college professor after he gets sacked on the charges of homosexuality and a court case. The film explores the ruthless discrimination in society, and what it means to be queer. It does not romanticize the struggles, yet celebrates the victories and that is what makes this film one-of-a-kind. This movie bagged a lot of attention and was a part of various international film festivals too.

Margarita With A Straw (2014)

Starring Kalki Koechlin, Margarita With A Straw premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. It is an amazing film that dealt with many topics, including homosexuality, self-love, self-acceptance and inclusion. Its story revolves around Kalki’s character with cerebral palsy, who falls for a blind girl, played by Sayani Gupta.

The character shares a close relationship with her mother, so much so that she lectures her mother for invading her privacy while she is watching porn. This relationship is a poster relationship for many families and an inspiration for the families to work towards providing each other a safe space – a place they can rely on, come what may.